title: Glassy thermal conductivity in the two-phase Cu(x)Ag(3-x)SbSeTe(2) alloy and high temperature thermoelectric behavior.
abstract: We have measured the thermal transport properties over the temperature range 1.8 K<T<700 K of a two-phase alloy synthesized by reacting AgSbTe(2) and Ag(2)Se in a 1:1 molar ratio. Typical electrical resistivity values at 700 K are in the range ∼4 mΩ cm≤ρ≤20 mΩ cm, while low thermal conductivity values (κ<1 W m(-1) K(-1)) were obtained. We find that the thermal conductivity of this crystalline alloy has a temperature dependence strikingly similar to those of amorphous solids. In addition the thermal conductivity, thermopower, and electrical resistivity decouple. This result makes it possible to optimize thermoelectric performance by minimizing the electrical resistivity. It is therefore envisaged that this system has potential as a high performance bulk thermoelectric.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Drymiotis
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Drye
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rhodes
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lashey
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cawthorne
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lindsey
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tritt